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Established 2004

Ruddlesden geotechnical

Ruddlesden geotechnical provides ground investigation, geotechnical consultancy and contamination assessment services.

Based in Exeter, but covering the whole of the UK, albeit primarily concentrated in the South West, Ruddlesden geotechnical was formed in 2004.

Ruddlesden geotechnical works on behalf of a wide client base, including local, regional and national housing developers, housing associations, commercial developers, building contractors, structural and civil engineers, architects, building consultants, quantity surveyors, local authorities and private individuals.

Development projects range from single dwellings and extensions to large housing estates, multi-storey flats, offices, industrial units, roads, slopes, schools, hospitals and basements.

The services and projects listed on this web-site provide an indication of those undertaken by Ruddlesden geotechnical, but others are carried out. If your requirement is not readily identifiable on this web-site, please contact us as we may still be able to help you.

  • AGS
  • Constructionline
  • CSCS
  • SMAS
  • ECFC trust

Latest news

Recent projects

  • Latest news

    18 Jun 2026

    School Reunion and Connections

    Last weekend, Simon Ruddlesden went back to school, to celebrate the retirement of an exceptional geology teacher, who, together with colleagues, has built a department that consistently ranks among the best in the country.  The results speak for themselves: over 50% of the year group now take GCSE Geology; 85% of A-Level students achieved A or A* last year.There are incredible numbers and inspiring teaching. However, despite decades of producing highly capable geology students, very few of them have ended up in the ground investigation / geotechnical / geo-environmental industry. A missed opportunity, perhaps?As discussed at the recent AGS annual conference (and elsewhere), we are hearing that there are fewer well-trained graduates entering our industry, and we are seeing fewer universities offering geoscience degrees and fewer schools offering geology at GCSE and A-Level. However, perhaps the biggest challenge of all is awareness. Ask a school-age student what a career in geology looks like, and you’ll likely hear “mining…oil and gas…quarrying”. Our industry is often not even on the radar. If students don’t know we exist, why would they ever choose this path? Why would they pick geology at university if they don’t realise it could unlock a rewarding career in our field?So, Simon will be going back to school again, not to study, but to share what we do, why it matters, and how rewarding it can be. The ground investigation/ geotechnical/ geo-environmental industry won’t be for everyone, but there could be an untapped pool of future engineering geologists and geo-environmental engineers out there; we just need to reach them earlier. Let’s make sure the next generation know we exist!If you know of a school that would like to hear what Simon has to say about working in the industry, please get in touch. 

    School Reunion and Connections
    School Reunion and Connections

  • Recent projects

    Multiple Contamination Assessment and Consultancy Services at Holiday Park, Cornwall

    A full range of contamination investigation and assessment services have been provided for a large and on-going holiday accommodation development in Cornwall. The Phase 1 Contamination Assessmentidentified that much of the site was underlain by a former licensed and unlicensed landfill site. The dynamic sampling/ windowless sample boreholes and trial pits, together with contamination laboratory testing, identified the site to be underlain by made ground/ fill, most of which comprised locally derived soil with no significantly elevated levels of contamination; however, localised areas of elevated levels of contamination were identified. A detailed quantitative risk assessment (DQRA) was undertaken, which included bioaccessibility testing and modifying the exposure duration within the CLEA model, to demonstrate that whilst some of the recorded levels of contamination might exceed the generic assessment criteria (GAC) for a standard residential land use, the recorded levels of contamination were unlikely to be harmful to human healthgiven the proposed end use. Particularly high levels of ground gas (methane and ground gas) have been recorded. Long-term gas monitoring and a large dataset has been required to undertake a robust ground gas assessment, where peak and steady flow rates and maximum concentrations, together with groundwater level and atmospheric pressure fluctuations, have been studied in detail to ensure the correct site characterisation and gas protection measure proposals. Continuous client and local authority engagement together with clear reporting have been crucial at this site to ensure that relatively complex issues were understood by all and the relevant planning conditions have been discharged.

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  • Recent projects

    Geophysics Provides Site-Wide Ground Profile Information, Devon

    Near-surface geophysics, comprising ground penetrating radar (GPR) and resistivity, was used to identify the presence, geometry and depth of limestone solution features at a proposed residential development site in Torbay. Following a soakaway test investigation, Ruddlesden geotechnical had concerns that the natural solution features within the limestone bedrock could inhibit the use of conventional soakaway drains at this site. Some conventional trial pitting and trenching had been undertaken with excavation plant, revealing a variable and often absent rock-head profile. Due to the variability and need to keep site disturbance to a minimum, geophysics was considered to be the most suitable method of investigation. Ruddlesden geotechnical have a good working relationship with a specialist team of geophysicists, who, under the instruction of Ruddlesden geotechnical, completed the works on this project. Following the geophysical survey and acquisition of the site, further geotechnical investigation was undertaken to confirm the profile (and depths) provided by the geophysics. The geophysics provided greater site coverage and certainty on the ground conditions, which were proven to be variable and potentially problematic.

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